Colombia, then known as New Granada, acquired its definitive independence from Spain at the Battle of Boyacá. A combined republican army of Colombians and Venezuelans was led during the campaign by the strategy of General Simón Bolívar. The tactical leaders of the army in the battlefield were Brigadier Generals Francisco de Paula Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui. A small British Legion made up of mostly Irish voluntaries, including some veterans from the Napoleonic wars, was also presented. They were opposed by a Royalist force led by Colonels José María Barreiro and Francisco Jiménez. The battlefield is located about 150 km from Bogotá in the Andes Mountains. Bol vars campaign in New Granada in 1819-1820 was part of Bol vars War, struggle for Independence from Spanish Colonial rule of South America led by Sim n Bol var. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Boyacá is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of Eastern Cordillera, although the western end of the department extends to the Magdalena River at the town of Puerto Boyac... The Republic of Colombia is a country in north-western South America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The Kingdom of Spain or Spain ( Spanish: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne dEspanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma; Galician: Reino da España) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. ... Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (July 24, 1783 – December 17, 1830) was a South American revolutionary leader. ... The Republic of Colombia is a country in north-western South America. ... New Granada was the name given to a group of colonial provinces in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia. ... The Kingdom of Spain or Spain ( Spanish: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne dEspanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma; Galician: Reino da España) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. ... Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios ( July 24, 1783 – December 17, 1830) was a South American revolutionary leader. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840), was a Colombian Revolutionist. ... Bogota is also a city in New Jersey, see Bogota, New Jersey. ... See also architecture with non-sequential dynamic execution scheduling (ANDES). ...

After having managed to successfully turn a potential defeat into a narrow victory at the Pantano de Vargas, the vanguard of Bolivar's forces, led by Santander, eventually caught up with the Royalist army as it attempted to head towards the road leading to Bogotá, which would effectively cut off the advance of the republican army and give the strategic initiative to its opponents.

The republican vanguard forced a confrontation through a surprise attack, which divided Barreiro's army at a strategic bridge, splitting the Royalist force in half. Each half was defeated in turn by Santader's and Anzoátegui's forces, which used their cavalry squadrons to great effect, managing to strike their foes' respective rearguards.

At least 1,600 troops and several of the Spanish commanders, including Barreiro himself, were captured at the end of the battle. New Granada's liberation was assured by this victory, which left the road to Bogotá and the city itself practically undefended, as the survivors headed towards other locations. After the battle, Santander and Anzoátegui were promoted to the rank of Division General, the equivalent rank of Major General. Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ...